31 charged as authorities take down large Newark-based heroin ring

NEWARK — More than 30 people have been arrested in connection with a large drug-selling operation that was bringing in millions of dollars per year, authorities announced today.

Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Acting Attorney General John G. Hoffman said the three-month investigation, “Operation Joint Effort”, struck a powerful blow to the distribution of heroin and other drugs across North Jersey.

On Sunday, members of the operation gathered before dawn to raid 14 locations as far away as Sussex County, and emerged with more than 518 bricks of heroin valued at around $300,000.

Along with the heroin, police seized nine cars, including a 2015 Mercedes Benz, more than $70,000 in cash, and an undetermined amount of cocaine. Warrants executed in Bloomfield also turned up around eight pounds of marijuana, authorities said.

“Through these efforts, we’re working hard to curb drug-related violence — and to stop the scourge of heroin and opiate pain pill abuse that is claiming far too many lives across our state and ripping apart our communities,” Hoffman said.

Murray said the heroin operation a “middle level distribution ring”, and said it was being run by five defendants: Jermaine Nelson, 37, of Edgewater; his sister 22-year-old Shakira Nelson of Newark; Edgar Ortiz, 35, of Newark; Teyoina Solomon, 22, of Newark; and Ibn Walker, 30, of Orange.

Over the course of the three-month investigation, the operation is estimated to have sold more than $1 million in narcotics, according to Essex County Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives Anthony Ambrose.

According to judicial records, Jermaine Nelson was sentenced to six years in prison in 2006 for charges related to a murder in front of the Broadway Town homes the year prior. Shakira Nelson was also indicted for witness tampering in the same case.

The siblings and three other defendants were charged with heroin distribution, heroin possession and conspiracy, and are being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility.

Most of the other defendants were charged with lesser offenses including conspiracy and simple drug possession.

Authorities credited the beginnings of the investigation to intelligence gathered by a pair of detectives with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Jerod Glover and Maritza Colon.

Over the months to come, the probe included contributions from 26 agencies including the state police, Essex County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and local departments across Essex, Hudson, Bergen, Middlesex and Morris County.

Those charged were:

• Edgar Ortiz, 35, of Newark

• Jermaine Nelson, 37, of Edgewater

• Shakira Nelson, 31, of Newark

• Teyoina Solomon, 22, of Newark

• Ibn Walker, 30, of Orange

• Thomas Forniel, 31, of Newark

• Richardo Maldonado, 38, of Newark

• Anthony Chaljub, 28, of Newark

• Yolanda Kirkpatrick, 40, of Bloomfield

• Sharonda Nelson, 44, of Newark

• Ernest Nelson, 38, of Newark

• Edgardo Alvarado, 33, of Newark (still at large)

• Dawud Worthy, 35, of Columbia, Pa. (still at large)

• William Mullen Jr., 30, of Bloomfield (still at large)

• Joseph Armeli, 38, of Rutherford

• Eric Barr, 49, of Rutherford

• Shawn Beauchene, 30, of Lyndhurst

• William Beauchene, 32, of North Arlington

• Joseph Bialek, 36, of Rutherford

• David Caputo, 38, of Clifton

• Josephine Heatherly, 33, of North Arlington

• Michael Keeler, 41, of Rutherford

• Edward Lax, 31, of Boonton

• Nicholas Parisi, 30, of Rahway

• Michael Sargese, 38, of Little Falls

• John Vesota, of Hopatcong

• Andres Soto, 34, of Bloomfield

• Calcameia Cooper, 33, of Roselle Park

• LeShonda Jemmott, 30, of Irvington

• Milenia Reyes, 31, of Newark

• Tamika Sylvester, 34, of Newark

Can somebody explain this huge heroin epidemic in the US the last few years? Is it because of prescription pills in the 2000s so addicts had to switch to junk as a cheaper alternative (and the laws tightening on oxy & other prescription opiates)

I've looked at the statistics and there's been a huge increase in H addicts. This is actually one of my fields of study but I don't live in the US, so I'm curious.

I think a lot of names on that list were buyers, not necessarily sellers.

i think that anyone thats probably not from newarke on that list is probably a buyer. I think now a lot of the dealers know that a lot of their suburban clientele are buying for their friends to. This comes on the back of a few heroin mills getting busted around nj.

Raids at Paterson heroin mills produce indictments

NOVEMBER 24, 2014, 11:38 AM LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2014, 5:17 PM
BY JOE MALINCONICO
PATERSON PRESS

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Seven people were indicted, including, clockwise from top left. Alexsander Padro, Jose Romero-Rivera, Manuel E. Perez-Guerrero, Franklin Mejia, Juan E. Perez-Guerrero and Lakey S. Guerra-Pujols. Rosaline Engracia Ulloa is not shown. N.J. ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
Seven people were indicted, including, clockwise from top left. Alexsander Padro, Jose Romero-Rivera, Manuel E. Perez-Guerrero, Franklin Mejia, Juan E. Perez-Guerrero and Lakey S. Guerra-Pujols. Rosaline Engracia Ulloa is not shown.
PATERSON — Seven alleged members of a drug ring, including five city residents, have been indicted on charges that they operated heroin mills inside two Paterson apartments, the state Attorney General’s Office announced Monday.

The indictments stem from arrests made in March, during which authorities say they confiscated about a pound of heroin during searches of the apartments and suspects’ vehicles, according to officials. Authorities said they also seized three guns along with the drugs with a street value of more than $100,000.

“The heroin and handguns seized in this case speak to the grave danger posed by these alleged drug dealers,” Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said in a release. “Heroin and illegal firearms are the twin scourges that are wracking our communities with addiction, overdoses and drug-related gun violence.”

After an investigation involving state and county law enforcement agencies, police initially arrested several suspects during traffic stops along Route 80 and then raided the apartments in the 2nd and 5th wards. At an apartment on the 200 block of Spring Street, authorities say, they seized almost five ounces of heroin and numerous items of paraphernalia used for heroin milling, including grinders, masks, wax folds and empty kilogram wrappers.

Police say the heroin was packaged as 146 bricks, with each containing roughly 50 single-dose wax folds of the drug packaged for street distribution. Also seized at that location were a stolen .45-caliber Ruger semi-automatic pistol, a loaded .45-caliber magazine and a silencer for the gun, police said.

At a second apartment on the first block of 18th Avenue, authorities say, they seized $16,841 in cash and numerous items of paraphernalia used for heroin milling, including a kilo press, stamps, a scale and cutting agents. Detectives also reported finding a .40-caliber Glock handgun and illegal hollow-point bullets. The windows of the apartment were covered with black garbage bags, a technique used at heroin mills to avoid police detection, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Authorities also searched three vehicles belonging to the accused and found two of them had hidden compartments that opened electronically. Detectives took more than five ounces of heroin from a hidden compartment in a Nissan Quest used by the accused, along with a Taurus .38-caliber revolver and four hollow-point bullets, authorities said. They said they seized 160 bricks of heroin and a box of bullets from the hidden compartment of a Ford Explorer driver by one of the accused.

“Through their excellent work, the State Police brought us a strong conspiracy case and seized enough heroin and related paraphernalia for milling heroin to charge the co-conspirators with first- and second-degree drug offenses,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Because of their conduct, these defendants now face lengthy prison sentences.”

The accused are:

Manuel E. Perez-Guerrero, 27, of Paterson. He faces eight drug and weapons charges including two first degree-offenses: maintaining a heroin production facility and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
Jose Romero-Rivera, 41, of Paterson. He also is known as Luis Manuel Tejeda Chalas. He faces nine drug and weapons charges including two first degree-offenses: maintaining a heroin production facility and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
Franklin Mejia, 43, of Paterson. He faces eight drug and weapons charges including two first degree-offenses: maintaining a heroin production facility and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
Juan E. Perez-Guerrero, 22, of Paterson. He is Manuel’s brother. He faces four charges related to drug dealing.
Lakey S. Guerra-Pujols, 29, of Oakfield, N.Y. He faces four charges related to drug dealing.
Alexsander Padro, 23, of Lawrence, Mass. He faces four charges related to drug dealing.
Rosaline Engracia Ulloa, 23, of Paterson. She is the wife of Manuel Perez-Guerrero. She faces four charges involving drug dealing, money laundering and illegal bullets.
Detective Sgt. Vittorio Flora led the investigation for the New Jersey State Police Drug Trafficking North Unit. The Passaic County Sheriff’s Office assisted in making the arrests and conducting the searches.

Heroin is an epidemic here in Jersey. The cops are now carrying Narcan to revive overdoses. Basically, people first get hooked on painkillers like oxycotin then resort to heroin because its much cheaper and easier to get. Its at epidemic levels here in the suburbs of Jersey which has dramatically increased crimes like burglary and theft in the suburbs as well. You have open air drug markets in cities like Paterson and Newark were the suburban kids drive into to buy their heroin, then drive back to the suburbs with a bundle or three. Paterson is a MAJOR drug trafficking city, I once saw a "gas station" there that had water in the gas pumps that was being used to sell drugs out of, I kid you not! Paterson also has areas of the city that are just complete drive thru drug markets out in the open, its sick....

Paterson is absolutely nothing but drugs and strip clubs....

That and the Colombian take over of the market in the late 80's/early 90's made heroin a lot more cheaper and purer. Made it a lot more effective to snort heroin.

That and it FEELS FUCKING AWESOME! Well...until you get sick...

recent article about the heroin problem on staten island and in great kills in particular.


Heroin crisis raging in Great Kills; as families suffer, merchants are addicts' prey
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Print Ryan Lavis | lavis@siadvance.com By Ryan Lavis | lavis@siadvance.com
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on November 21, 2014 at 11:00 AM, updated November 21, 2014 at 1:10 PM


STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Talk to merchants in Great Kills, or the parents of neighborhood addicts, and it's clear that the borough's highly publicized heroin epidemic is devastating mainstream, middle class Staten Island.

"You see it all over this neighborhood," said Adam Lener, who owns Portobello Cafe, a popular Italian restaurant in the area. "It's no secret that Great Kills is one of the busiest hot spots on the Island for heroin," he said.

"It's no secret that Great Kills is one of the busiest hot spots on the Island for heroin," said Adam Lener, who owns Portobello Cafe.
In the 20 years he has operated his restaurant, Lener says he has watched "good neighborhood kids" transform over time into "unrecognizable" addicts who are hardly able to stand on their own two feet.

"It's pretty crazy the people you see stumble by outside my restaurant," he said, recalling a few months ago when he witnessed two people "shooting up heroin" just across the street from his business on Hylan Boulevard.

'THEY'RE LIKE ZOMBIES'

Up the block at Richmond Bagels, Joe Fecci says he can easily tell whenever someone walks into his 24-hour deli strung out on drugs.


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John Fecci installed surveillance cameras and hired a security guard to work nights after a few run-ins with shoplifters at Richmond Bagels. "It kind of deters them from coming in -- it's just for protection," he said. (Staten Island Advance/Ryan Lavis)
"They're like zombies. They used to come in here at night, sit down, eat and fall asleep," he said.

Fecci installed surveillance cameras and hired a security guard to work nights after a few run-ins with shoplifters. "It kind of deters them from coming in -- it's just for protection," he said.

"As middle class of a neighborhood as it is, it's really bad over here," he said. "These are good kids who grew up in good families, but then they start doing drugs."

OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC HITS HOME

Heroin overdose deaths hit South Shore and Mid-Island neighborhoods the hardest, according to the city's 2012-2013 rates. The neighborhoods from South Beach to Tottenville were among the top five areas with the highest death rate citywide.

The borough also saw the second-highest rate of heroin overdose deaths per 100,000 residents.

It's a problem families and businesses on the South Shore know all too well.

Despite making gains in Great Kills -- like in 2011 when the South Shore Merchants Association helped take down a prescription drug-dealing ring from a neighborhood bagel store -- business owners say the drug problem persists in their neighborhood, with several reporting break-ins recently.

STORY BEHIND AN ARREST

Earlier this month, police arrested Christopher Chambers, a 29-year-old man from Great Kills, who authorities allege shattered the front window of Portobello and stole the cash register. Once in custody, police say they recovered 13 glassine envelopes of heroin from Chambers' underwear, according to a criminal complaint.

Chambers and his brother, Brian, 35, were also accused of committing a string of burglaries in 2012 at restaurants across the Island. Both had pleaded guilty and served one year in prison, though it wasn't immediately clear what charge they actually pled to, said Douglas Auer, spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan.

PARENTS' NIGHTMARE

The parents of the Chambers brothers say both of their sons have drug problems that started when they were still teenagers.

Sitting at their kitchen table in Great Kills recently, the husband and wife spoke candidly about their sons' drug abuse and the damaging effects it still has on their family.

kids.jpg
The parents of Christopher and Brian Chambers of Great Kills, seen here in a surveillance photo provided by the NYPD, say their sons have been addicts for years and are being targeted by police. The mom says that they need treatment, not more jail time.
NYPD

"We're losing it because it's too long. I've come to the point several times in the past 10 years where I was just ready to walk away," said Brain Chambers Sr.

"If they can't be normal human beings and we can't have a normal life what's the sense in me going to work every day when I don't want to come home to this every night," he questioned.

Still, they maintain their children's innocence, claiming police have unfairly targeted the brothers for more than a decade. Both parents say they don't believe any of the burglary charges against their sons are true, claiming there is little evidence to prove their guilt.

"We're not denying they have a drug problem," said the dad. "But for any crime going on in the neighborhood, these kids are scooped up by police and blamed for doing everything."

Prison, they say, has only worsened their sons.

'REHAB, NOT JAIL,' MOM SAYS

"I only want to see my kids get real help. They need court mandated rehab, not jail. Every time they go to jail they come out worse; they relapse faster," Ms. Chambers said.

Both parents say they are still waiting for their sons to receive their wake-up call and get help.

"I go to bed at night; I can't sleep. I'm praying for God to watch over my children. When I come home from work, I'm hoping one of them isn't overdosed in the house. It's like a nightmare," said Ms. Chambers.

"Then I think, what if I put them out on the street and he overdoses. It's like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place," she said.

ONCE, YOUR AVERAGE FAMILY

By all accounts, the family fits the mold of the middle class suburban lifestyle. Blue collar workers, they raised their kids in a house with a big backyard and pool on Richmond Avenue in Eltingville. They constantly had the neighborhood kids over, and always made sure they knew who their children were hanging around.

Gradually, all that changed as addictions took hold.

"We tried to do everything right, but they got involved in all that stuff anyway," said Ms. Chambers, noting her efforts to get her children help at the early stages.

"Nothing seemed to work," she said.

Ms. Chambers recalled when her oldest son was 17 and sold her late mother's engagement ring for $500 at a pawn shop on Forest Avenue.

"It's easier for them to steal from us because they know they won't get locked up," she said. "They don't go out robbing stores -- They'll take our credit cards. I can't leave cash lying around anywhere."

Currently, Brian Chambers is serving time in prison for 3rd degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, according to the state Department of Corrections website. His earliest release date is June 2015. His brother also faces a slew of charges stemming from his Nov. 6 arrest in connection with the burglary at Portobello.

'IT WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE THIS'

For now, their parents are left wondering whether their adult sons can ever turn their lives around.

Executive chef and owner of Portobello Cafe, Adam Lener, whose restaurant was awarded "Best Chicken Cutlet Parmigiana" in the SILive.com 2014 Readers' Choice Awards, praised the quick police work following the break-in.
Staten Island Advance

"It's not like we were parents with blinders on. We knew there were problems in the beginning," said the dad. "But everything we did and everything we tried seems like it was for nothing."

Their mother still holds out hope to one day see her sons in recovery.

"I keep thinking something's going to change," she said. "There's always hope."

Meanwhile, families and local businesses continue to watch the heroin problem rage on in Great Kills.

"It's just a shame what goes on in this neighborhood," said Lener at his restaurant. "I grew up here. It wasn't always like this."